Tube connector



Aug. 15, 1944.

H. T. KRAFT 2,355,871 TUBE ooNNEooR File'd Aug. 26, 1942 "forces in damage to l valve stems on trucks and the like.

' and simply vand vusually Patented Aug. l5, 1944 TUBE CONNECTOR Hermanv T, Kraft, Akron General Tired; Rubber e a corporation of Ohio Application August 26, 1942, Serial No. 456,151

" (C1. zas- 493) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a deformable connectorfor joining tube sections and particularly for use in the repairof pnuematic valve stems that Ahave been injured in service', and to a convenient tool for use in applyingv such`connectors.

Under conditions of modern warfare, much difficulty has been .experienced by the armed and the breaking off of tire The damage to the valve stems generally occurs near the outer end thereof,.and many times the valve stems are either completely broken off or cracked while'in service. The present invention is intended to meet 'this need by providing an improved form'of connector and a tool for use in the field. The connector and tool also may be used for repairing other tubing. 'I 1 Y The objects of the present invention include the provision of a new and improved connector and tool Vfor repairing damaged;broken or faulty tubes, such as valve stems and= ,the like, quickly without the removal of the tire from the wheel.

With the above and other objects `in view which will be apparent to those whol are familiar with the uses and problems of repairing metal tubes or in maintaining pneumatic tires in serviceable condition under wartime demands, an illustrative embodimentiof the present invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawing, where- 1n:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a valve stem in the process of being repaired, and showing the coupling tool and valve stem, with parts broken away and shown in section to better illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig, 2 is an enlarged elevational view, partly broken away and in section, Aof the coupling shown inFig. 1; I Fig. 3 is a section taken along the Yline 3-5-3 of Fig. 1 of the male member of the tool; and

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the repaired stem shown in Fig. 1, ready for use.V Y

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, a pneumatic tire inner tube lhasian aperture 2 in which an externally threaded portion 3 of a conventional metal valve stem 4 is secured by a cemented-on valve base 5, positioned inside ol the tube, and a washer 6 and internally threaded nut I that is threaded on the stem and is turned down tightly against the washer 6- to provide an airtight union between the tube and the stem. This construction is illustrative of any common mounting of a valve stem on an inner tube or other inflatable member.

Vand I4 are dimensioned Ohio, assignor to The Company, Akron, Ohio,

The repair coupling 9, as separately illustrated in Fig. 2, is formed of a malleable material, such as brass or the like,and comprises a body portion thathas a substantially cylindrical outside surface l0 over themiddle portion thereof and is tapered at its opposite ends in substantially conical faces Hand I2. and I2 are preferably inclined at an angle of approximately degrees with respect to the axis of' the coupling. The coupling has concentric cylindrical bores I3 and I4 from each end and of the proper size to receive and closely t the ends of the tubes to be joined.. AThese bores Il to make a close working fit on the free end of the stem parts 4 and 4a in order that these parts may haveadequate mechanical strength when joined together. apertured partition I5 is disposed midway between the ends of the coupling to provide locat ing faces against which the opposed ends I6 and l1 of the metal tube parts to be joined, 4 and 4a. may seat. The partition I5 may be a ring pressed fit or sweated into place if preferred.

The coupling also has gasket housing grooves I8 and I 9 that are disposed the Apartition I5 and serve to house gaskets 20 and 2l therein that are made of a suitable compressible air sealing material, `such as a gasolineresistant synthetic rubber or the like.

The coupling is secured to the ends of the valve steml portions 4 andla by a tool` 23 which comprises a malemember formed of two halves 24 and 25 whichv make threaded engagement with a female member 26 to swage the coupling against the parts of valve stem to secure these `valve stem parts together with an airtight seal at the connection. This tool 1 and 3. Y

The two mated halves 24 and 25 of the male clamping member have wrench-engaging faces 21 formed thereon. 'I'he male clamping member is shown in Figs u preferably is made from a hexagonal section that is rst cutflongitudinally from corner to corner along the axis of the member to separate it longitudinally, into two equal halv These halves are then clamped together and rilled to provide a bore 28, bore 30 and a clamping seat 3l. A cylindrical portion 32v of the male member is then threaded on its outer face while the parts are clamped together in order to make threaded engagement with the internally threaded female member.

The bore 28 is of proper size to receive the valve stem 4 and preferably is enlarged axially into the conical bore 29 at its outer end to permit The conical faces II on opposite sides ofV a conical bore 29, a countersome tilting action of the male clamping member on the tube or to accommodate a bent tube during the operation of securing the coupling in place. The counterbore 30 is then formed axially of the member to make a close working flt with the cylindrical surface I of the coupling. Between the bores 28 and 30 the mated male clamping member has the conically tapered clamping seat 3| that preferably is of somewhat greaterangularity relative to the axis of the parts connected than the angularity of the conical end faces Il and I2 of the coupling, in order to irnpose a substantially axially directed pressure against the conical tip portions of the coupling in order to force these end portions into the tube wall.

'I'he female member 26 hasV wrench-engaging faces 34 and a bore 35 of substantially the same size as the valve stem or tube section to be joined to the coupling by it, The female member 26 also has a conical tapered clamping seat 3'I between the bore 35 and an internally threaded part 36. 'Ihe angularity of theseat 31 with respect to the axis of the female member 26 preferably is the same as the angularity of the tarpered seat 3| of the male member.

To repair a broken valve stem or connect tube ends, both-parts of the injured metal tube or valve stem 4 and 4a iirst are cut through with a'hand saw to remove the damaged part of the stem and provide squareseating faces I6 and I1 that are normal to the axis ofthe stem or tubing. A new valve stem` repair portion 4a, or, if the original stem was merely broken, the outer4 end 4a of the original stem and the stem base 4 are inserted into Vthe opposite ends of the coupling after the 'stem portion 4a and threaded onto the maleV member., The male member is then clamped in a vice' or held in any other suitable manner across the wrench-engaging faces-21 parallel with the plane of separation of the parts thereof to hold i the male membervsecurely while the female member 26 is wrenched into place to apply heavy clamping pressure at the opposite tip ends of the repair unit. This forces the conical end portions of the repair unit into the walls of thevalve stem portions 4 and 4a and tends also to compress the gaskets 20 and 2| and to somewhatflare the ends of the valve stem that seat against the partition I of the coupling. The female member is pulled up tightly on the threads of Vthe male member until a sufficiently rigid joint for normal Y operation of thetube or stem is produced. The

tool is theiwemoved from the applied coupling.

'I'he advantages of this particular character of ,in mechanically strengthening the repair.

device for use by mechanics in the eld where trucks and the like are serviced, or for use in military work are of great importance for making quick and dependable repairs of valve stems and similar equipment. The clamping members are preferably made of hard steel that will impose a very substantial pressure against the coupling ends'.

By clamping or swaging the ends of the coupling into the walls of the tubing and also forcing the tube ends against the opposed. faces of the coupling, a very strong and dependable repair or tubeconnection is obtained. The gasket material carried in the grooves I8 and IEI of the coupling is of suiiicient volume to insure a close sealing t with the ends of the tubes. The bending inwardly of the coupling ends or the longitudinal shortening of the coupling compresses this material against the tube ends and assists By supporting the inner tube ends against the partition. and compressing the gasket material around them and also clamping the tube at the outer ends of the coupling where the coupling metal is forced somewhat into the walls of the tube, provides a'strong and dependable field repair or tube coupling of great utility.

Itis to be understood that the particular designing of the coupling and clamping tool and their application to the repair of a valve stem or other tube, have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating and `describing a preferred embodiment of the invention and that various changes, modifications and adaptations may be made in the coupling and clamping tool and in the uses to which they may be put, without departing from the invention that is defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A repair coupling comprising a one piece i malleable metal sleeve having end portions adapted to closelyl t upon the ends of the tubes to be joined and a central apertured partition providing an abutment for the tube ends, said sleeve having an internal circumferential gasket receiving groove at each side of said partition, the

ends of said sleeve being tapered conically to facilitate the swaging of the sleeve ends upon the tubes by pressure applied axially to the tapered ends, and annular gaskets mounted in said grooves with their internal faces substantially flush withinternal tube receiving faces at the ends of said sleeve.

2. In combination a repair'coupling comprising a one piece malleable metal sleeve having a central apertured partition, conically tapered ends and internal gasket receiving grooves, one at each side of said partition, an annular gasket in each of said grooves, andtubes fitting in the ends of said sleeve with their ends abutting said partition, the ends of said sleeve being shrunk upon said tubes and upset against said gaskets to tiirgvide a fluid tight connection between the u es.

HERMAN T. KRAFT. 

